International attention to Indian animation has certainly refocused after the release of “Bombay Rose” (Gitanjali Rao, now on US Netflix!), and this particular short is no exception. Freelance animator Shaheen Sheriff tempts smiles and laughter in this year's “Asian Focus” of Cartoon Underground's International Competition with their five-minute film, “Watchmakers at Time's End.”
“Watchmakers at Time's End” is Screening at Cartoons Underground
“Watchmakers at Time's End” revolves around a Kerala watchmaker's dilemma in a whimsical alternate universe. At one point, a meteor hit the Earth so hard that the Earth has been tilted off-center from its axis; since then, it has been nigh impossible to measure time. One day, however, a mysterious substance falls from the heavens – one that allows the watchmaker to accurately tell time again. The joy is only short-lived, however, once another meteor shower destroys what little is left.
The film is certainly charming. With the zany dramatic angles of mid-Masaaki Yuaasa (“Mind Game”) and the regular boil of Bill Plympton (“Hair High”), “Watchmakers at Time's End” projects the sheer joy of animation. The characters bristle with tension; the soft airbrushed shadows a wonderful contrast in this digital animation. The audio shines too: The whistles, clicks, and sound effects – all done by director Sheriff themself! – give what otherwise would be a serious sci-fi a note of playfulness.
All in all, Sheriff's film takes glee in its low-budget nature, and the joy is contagious. “Watchmakers at Time's End” is a pleasure to watch – a definite recommendation for slow days.
